can't decide on a hop tea or dry hop for my IPA opinions???

[ethangray19]

I am not sure if i should make a hop tea and add it to my secondary or at bottling time or dry hop in my secondary for a week. Drop hopping just seems like it my be underutilizing the hops and sort of a hassle.

I have a bunch or cascade and 1 oz of amarillo to work with.

The ipa was hopped with warrior 60min, amarillo 15min, and amarillo 5 min


any opinions out there on best way to add a little bitternes, but mainly hop aroma???

 

[z987k]

hop it a tad more during the flavor addition.

 

[AnOldUR]

Hop tea has the potential to add to bittering, depending on how long you boil the hops. But the additional fluid will take away from your gravity. Dry hopping is for aroma only. It's your choice. Taste it and see what it needs.

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

I'm playing around with the hop tea idea, too.
It seems to be a relatively recent development.

I added tea to a batch of pale ale (1 oz WGV steeped in 1 pint at 170*F).
It has a really nice balance of malt, bitter, hop flavor, and hop aroma.

Also, I have a blonde ale in the secondary with tea made in a french press -
2 oz Vanguard in 2 pints at 170*F.
Can't wait to try this one.

I'm going for flavor and aroma without bitterness.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=55721
has more discussion.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Hop tea would be the way you want to go because dry hopping doesn't add bitterness.

Boil 1.5 gal of water for 1 hour with 1 oz of hops. The liquid will reduce and concentrate the bitterness.

Add 1 cup at a time, slowly stir in and let sit for 5 mins to get the tea to blend well then take a sample.

I figure it's good to go when I want to take a second sample just to drink.

Do not overdo it, unless you really like hops, because it can't be removed.

 

[PseudoChef]

He doesn't want bitterness though, so I wouldn't boil it. Just steep it in some hot water. And I wouldn't use 1.5 gallons, I'd go maybe 2 cups.

 

[Beerrific]

I have always dry hopped either in the secondary or the keg. Even using 0.25oz in a pale ale seems to really kick up the aroma and brighten the flavor. So I would not say that dry hopping would be underutilizing the hops. A hot steep will bring out the aroma/flavor but they are very different than just dry hopping at room temp.

Also, it has always been my experience that dry hopping will add a perception of more bitterness. I have even had a pale ale that I though was on the sweet side but after dry hopping tasted as bitter as ever.

 

[AnOldUR]

He doesn't want bitterness though, so I wouldn't boil it.

. . . any opinions out there on best way to add a little bitternes, but mainly hop aroma???

He is looking for "a little bitternes" and the only way to get any actual bitterness it to boil.

But I have to agree with Beerrific's comment "that dry hopping will add a perception of more bitterness" and that dry hopping doesn't underutilize hops. It uses them in a different and sometimes necessary way.

 

[PseudoChef]

He is looking for "a little bitternes" and the only way to get any actual bitterness it to boil.

But I have to agree with Beerrific's comment "that dry hopping will add a perception of more bitterness" and that dry hopping doesn't underutilize hops. It uses them in a different and sometimes necessary way.

This isn't true at all. It's just become preconceived notion that hops added late in the boil, or even at flame out in the whirlpool (where there isn't a boil at all) don't add bitterness. They still do - it's just not at the same level as say, a 60 minute or even 30 minute hop addition.

Also, Beerific brings up a good point of "perceived" bitterness. Remember, that a lot of our tastes are brought about through our olfactory senses. Smelling that great hop aroma is still going to affect your palate.

 

[HOOTER]

The ipa was hopped with warrior 60min, amarillo 15min, and amarillo 5 min
any opinions out there on best way to add a little bitternes, but mainly hop aroma???

What's the recipe? I'm curious where your IBU's are. You used high alpha hops (the Warrior's particularly) so your bitterness is probably going to be good as is. Dry hopping is a great way to step up the hop flavor and aroma and, as was previously stated, improve the perception of bitterness without actually increasing IBU's. Dry hopping is definitely not an underutilization of hops, IMO.

 

[ethangray19]

my recipe was:
5lb LME
3lb DME
1lb munich malt partial mashed
12 oz 60L crystal
1.2oz warrior 15%aa 60min
.9 oz Amarillo 8.2%AA 15min
1.1 oz Amarillo 8.2%AA 5 min


nottingham yeast

I guess i will dry hop after all the comments. I am not sure what would be best; cascade only or a combo of cascade and amarillo. I am looing for a nice strong hop nose so i will probably go with 2oz total dry hop.

 

[HOOTER]

That should be a great IPA. Based on a 2 gallon boil and whole hops (pellets and/or a larger boil will change this a bit) your IBU's should be around 75 which is right within the guidelines for an IPA. Dry hopping with Amarillo and/or Cascade will give you an intense citrus aroma. This should be really good when it's done.

 

[ethangray19]

i dry hopped today with 2oz of cascades.

I am thinking of bottling in a week. Is a week a good amount of time to dry hop??????

thanks

 

[Madbrewer]

well if you are worried about wasting the hops then go the cheap route. BUT if you want to truly create AMBROSIA then add about 2-3 ozs of extra hopps after you flamout they will add alot of floral smells and also add alot more hop flavor not bitterness. An IPA is about the flavor of the hop not just a bitter beer. IF you want and care alot about a perfect IPA not just a bitter beer. good luck whatever you choose. Me its all about the perfection of what I create not just good enough.